Not So Usual
by Axidnt Prone
Summary: Chapter Three: “Whoa, whoa, Schuyler!” He called out. “Were you just chilling with Wormtail?” “First of all,” Schuyler snapped. “If that’s supposed to be some sort of sexual innuendo, gross. Second of all...stop teaching Peter pickup lines.”
1. Standards

**Not So Usual**

**Chapter One - Standards**

No one in the Wizard Community would say James Potter was average.

In fact, the idea was laughable. The Potter's were practically treated as royalty. They were pure blood, extremely talented, and extremely rich. Every Potter exceeded in school, and then in their chosen career. The family demanded respect, and it was given to them with no argument.

James knew all of this. He was very intelligent, and he learned at a young age that people would treat him well because of his families connections. He learned that some people would bend over backwards to please him.

His looks only added more to be desired. He was tall, with messy black hair, hazel eyes, and a roguish lopsided grin. No one would deny that he was appealing to the fairer sex. James knew this as well.

He knew all of it...and positively hated it

But he loved Quidditch. The game was exciting, challenging, and demanding. True, he did have a fair amount of natural talent, but he worked hard to be better. When James was a boy, he discovered that Quidditch was the one place you had to _work _for respect. No one was going to let you win, the other team was _not _going to try and be your friend. Hard work, dedication, and skill were the only things that mattered on a Quidditch pitch. Not wealth, appearances, or bloodlines.

So it absolutely killed him that all of his hard work was going down the drain.

- - - -

**A/N: **I'm really excited to be doing this story. I haven't written in _so _long. I'm going to try so hard to update quickly. But it will be strenuous. I'm seventeen, and I have a full-time job, in addition to my first year of correspondence school. I'm aiming for at _least _one chapter a week. So, please read and enjoy!

Reviews aren't so bad either ;-)

Oh, and this chapter is totally dedicated to Pandora Radio, and Jason Mraz. If you haven't listened to him, go do it now. He is my all-time favorite musician.

Love,

AxidntProne


	2. Win Some, Lose Some

**Not So Usual**

**Chapter Two - Win Some, Lose Some**

"_It's different now," He whispered. "It will all be different now."_

"_Why?" Lily asked in a panicked voice. "Why does it need to be different?"_

Tap!

_He smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile. It was a smile of resignation and loss. The smile, in a weird way, made his face look even more haunted than it usually did. _"_It just does." He said. "You know now..."_

_Lily shook her head violently. "But I can __**forget. **__We both can...we can just act like this never happened, it doesn't need to leave the park-"_

"_Lily!" He hissed. "Lily, come on!"_

Tap!

"_What is it?" Lily said, her stomach churning. This wasn't the way it usually went..._

"_Lily, hurry up!"_

"_What are you talking about?" She demanded. "I want us to work this out, the way we always have-"_

"_It's different this time," He said finally. "It's too late to change what happened."_

_She inhaled and exhaled quickly, trying to calm herself. She was begging, and he wasn't trying at all. "Look, I __**know **__it's different." She said. "But if you would just listen to me -"_

TAP! TAP! TAP!

Lily Evans awoke with a start. The large bedroom was dark, and if it wasn't for the large window she wouldn't be able to see anything at all. She sighed, and let her head drop onto the large silk pillow.

How many more nights, she wondered, would she continue to have that dream? It wasn't her fault things had worked out the way they did, and she _knew _that. So why did her stomach churn when she thought of it?

Tap!

"Lily, I _swear _to Merlin if you don't _help me-"_

Oh. Right.

Lily jumped out of bed, and crossed the room to the large bay window. When she looked out, she saw her best friend, Caitlin Nichols, on the ground...and looking very anxious.

"Lily, help me up!" Caitlin pleaded. "I lost my wand, and I can't get up without you-"

"Okay, okay!" Lily said. "Where's your broomstick?"

Even in the dark, Lily could see her friends cheeks turn red. "I-I hadn't really thought of that..." Caitlin muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Let me get my wand, I'll summon it for you..."

Five minutes later, Caitlin was back in her room. "You know, I've never snuck out of my house." Lily admitted. "But I seem to be very good at assisting you in it."

"And I thank you for it," Caitlin smiled. "Look, I'm sorry that I've been sneaking out so much. I'm not the greatest host, I know."

"Don't even worry about it. I know you don't really get to see Nate in the summer," Lily said, referring to Caitlin's boyfriend of two years. Nathaniel Tierney was perfect for Caitlin, but her parent's refused to see it. They said she was too young to have a serious boyfriend, but that wasn't the real reason, and Caitlin knew it. The Nichol's family was extremely wealthy, and her father held a respectable political role. Nate was a muggle born, like Lily, and his family was not as well off. In their ideal world Caitlin would date James Potter or Kiernan Eubanks.

"I hate lying to them."

"I know you do," Lily said sympathetically. "They'll realize you belong together, don't worry."

Caitlin raised an eyebrow.

"Well, they will! Sooner or later."

Caitlin laughed, and ran her hand through her glossy brown hair."Hopefully. Maybe tomorrow, at the tournament, they'll see how talented he is."

"Hopefully," Lily agreed.

- - - - -

Sirius Black stared into the mirror, studying the way his navy blue and cream colored Quidditch robes looked. They fit perfectly on his broad shoulders, and the dark colors complimented his dark hair and light grey hair. But something was wrong.

"We are _traitors_." Sirius announced to his best friend, James Potter.

James was sitting on a bench in the locker room, his head propped up on his hands, trying to center himself before the full day of Quidditch games. "What?" He asked distractedly.

Sirius glanced at his friend, and then back to the mirror. "The blue. We are wearing Ravenclaw colors....that's why these robes don't feel right."

"We are _not _wearing Ravenclaw colors," said the boy with hazel eyes. "We are wearing Royal Racer colors."

Sirius shrugged, forcing himself to not laugh (again) at the teams lame name. "It still feels like betrayal..."

James ignored his best friend and went back to focusing himself. Today was his last day in Club Quidditch, and this was where the majority of scouts looked. If he wanted to play professionally, he had to do exceptional today. The thought that something could go wrong was extremely nerve wracking, so James didn't allow himself to think of that.

"Prongs," Sirius said, using James' nickname. "We're the best team there is. Stop thinking, and enjoy today, okay? We're going to win."

James grinned up at his friend, refusing to show how nervous he was. "Of course we are."

- - - - -

"I really don't like Quidditch," Peter Pettigrew announced as James and Sirius' team won their second game in less than thirty minutes.

"I know, Peter." Remus Lupin said.

"It's just that it's not exciting anymore." Peter continued. "We _know _that James and Sirius will win _every time._ And we _know _Charlotte is going to catch the snitch in a heartbeat..."

Remus pulled a book out of his messenger bag and read.

- - - - -

Kiernan Eubanks was, without a doubt, one of the best looking boys that Lily Evan's knew. He was fair haired with pretty blue eyes and a strong jaw. He was also the perfect height and weight, not too muscular, not too skinny.

He was Lily's boyfriend, and that was more than okay with her.

Lily leaned against the wall as Kiernan kissed her, and she felt the cheers and stomping from the crowd above her. She giggled. "We should really go up there," Lily said. "Ava is going to be playing in the next game..."

Kiernan groaned against her neck. "Lily," He mumbled. "Please do not bring up my sister when I'm kissing you..."

Lily laughed again. "I'm sorry," She gave him an apologetic kiss, and then pulled away. "But seriously, she's one of my friends and I want to see her and Nate play..."

"Five minutes?" Kiernan asked, and began to kiss her neck again.

"Five minutes," Lily allowed.

- - - - -

Caitlin sat in the stands with Schuyler Reynolds, a friend and dorm mate at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and watched anxiously as Nathaniel's team made their way onto the field. She crosses and uncrossed her legs, folded and played with her hands, and every other thing she could do deal with her anxiety.

"Catie? Can I ask you something?" Schuyler asked, lifting a blonde eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, what?" Caitlin asked, glancing at her. "Oh, yeah, sure. Ask away."

"Okay, then." Schuyler turned her body to face Caitlin. "_What _is wrong with you?"

"_Nothing," _Caitlin snapped. "Stop asking me that."

Schuyler rolled her dark blue eyes, and shook her head. "You're a nervous wreck. If I didn't know you better, I would ask if you had taken something."

"Well, you _do _know better." Caitlin said. "I'm just nervous for Nate, okay? I know how much he wants to win this, and the Racers are really good."

Schuyler didn't disagree. "Some would say _unbeatable._"

Caitlin glared in response.

- - - -

James Potter didn't believe in luck.

At least, he didn't believe in luck on the quidditch field. If you win, it's because your team is better. If you lose, you deserve it. And James knew his team was better, his team _deserved _to win. He had them practice all day everyday for weeks, just for this day. Yes, Charlotte Demmin was an exquisite seeker. She had ensured victory for her team all day today.

But he knew Ava Eubanks was better than her.

And that made him nervous.

The game had been going for only five minutes when it happened. James saw the bludger heading straight towards her, and he knew it would hit. She was looking in the opposite direction, searching for the snitch, and she wasn't going to see it.

Sirius knew it was going to hit her, too. It was part of the game, every quidditch player knew that. You just don't tell the opposing team a bludger was coming...especially if it's their seeker, who determined if you won or lost. You just _don't..._

He couldn't help himself. He sped to her side, and knocked the bludger away from her, not looking where he hit it.

He didn't know why he did it. He didn't know why he cared. He didn't know why he didn't let it hit her.

He didn't know it would break his best friends arm.

* * *

**A/N: **Honestly, this chapter is boring to me. The beginning of a story is always the hardest, I think. Oh, and this story isn't going to be all quidditch. It's really just going to be these first chapters, and then it will be off to Hogwarts, and James will lighten up .

Keep Reading!

Reviews are inspiration...

Love,

AxidntProne


	3. Fancy Titles and Surprises

**Not So Usual**

**Chapter Three - Fancy Titles and Surprises**

"Thanks...but it's just not how I wanted to win," Nate said when his girlfriend congratulated him on the Quidditch pitch.

Caitlin nodded, and carefully made sure she didn't get too close to him. "I thought you would feel that way." She said. "But, nevertheless, congrats. You would have won even if Potter _didn't _fall off his broom....and, uh, break his arm and leg."

Nate smiled his dazzling smile, touched at her belief in him. "Thank you, Catie."

Caitlin wanted to kiss him then and there, or to at least hug him. But she couldn't. That was the problem with secretly dating someone. You couldn't kiss them in public, because someone could see, and probably tell someone. Who would probably tell someone else. The thrill of a secret relationship was now over for both of them, the lies and schemes to see each other tiresome. But they loved each other, and they did what they had to do.

"I'll see you...later...right?" Nate asked.

"Later," Caitlin agreed with a nod.

* * *

_One Month Later_

* * *

The Potter house was large and beautiful. In fact, calling it a _house _was almost insulting. It was more a _palace. _There were beautiful gardens outside, as well as a charming lake. The house was three stories of dark red brick and presented a rather calming picture.

A picture that very much did _not _go with the conversation going on in the kitchen.

"But I don't _want _to be head boy," James said through gritted teeth. He glared at the Hogwarts letter in his fathers hand. "I have absolutely no interest in it."

Mr. Potter looked at his son and frowned. "And why the devil not?"

James leaned against the counter. "Because it's a stupid title... a completely glorified position. Head boys do _nothing."_

"You do remember me telling you that _I _was head boy in my year?" Mr. Potter asked. "As was my father, and my grandfather, and my _great _grandfather..."

"I get it." James said. "There have been a lot of head boys in our family."

"Not a lot," Mr. Potter corrected. "_All _of them."

"I don't care." James said slowly. "It would just get in the way of Quidditch. I am Captain, you know, and this will be my seventh year. I have a lot to focus on -"

"Quidditch Captain? _That's _a glorified title, if you ask me."

James glared at his father, offended. "I _didn't _ask you."

"If you _had _asked me," Mr. Potter went on. "I would go on to say that if you have time to be Quidditch captain, you have time to be Head Boy. I would also say that if you don't think you can handle being Head Boy, maybe you should step _down _from being Captain...maybe even let someone else take your spot on the team."

James' jaw dropped.

"Just so you could focus yourself better on your studies." Mr. Potter smiled. "Are we clear?"

"_Crystal."_

"So?" Sirius, who had been waiting for James in his room, asked. "What's the verdict?"

James shrugged. "You are looking at the next Head Boy. Feel honored."

"Dang," Sirius said in disbelief. "Moony is going to be so freaked."

James shrugged again. "It's not like I wanted this," He said. "I really just wanted to focus on Quidditch this year, you know? Especially after the tournament-"

Sirius looked guilty. "God, I am _so _sorry about that, Prongs. I swear. I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's over and done with." James said. "You've been forgiven, repeatedly. Now stop apologizing."

Sirius leaned against James' bed post, watching James as he played with a snitch. It wasn't over, Sirius knew. James' arm hadn't healed entirely, even though the wizarding nurse at the tournament had given him potions and tried her best to heal it. He would often rub or rotate his shoulder and wince when he didn't think anyone was looking. Sirius knew his best friend was terrified it wouldn't heal for Quidditch season when they returned to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their seventh year. And, Sirius thought, even with the potion he had to take every day, it was likely that it wouldn't.

* * *

Ava Eubanks was beautiful.

She was small, maybe five foot six, and thin. Her dark brown hair was long, wavy, and shiny and contrasted to her light blue eyes. Her complexion was clear, and her cheekbones high. She was also graceful on and off a broomstick. With no effort at all Ave Eubanks was the prettiest sixth year at Hogwarts, probably the prettiest in all of Ravenclaw.

"Is Lily excited to be Head Girl?" Ava asked her brother, Kiernan, as they boarded the Hogwarts Express.

Kiernan shrugged impassively. "I guess."

"You guess?" Ava repeated. "Well, has she said anything about it?"

"Maybe..." He sighed. "I don't know. You two are friends, why don't _you _ask her?"

"I guess I will."

* * *

Schuyler Reynolds was not a prefect, she was not head girl, and she was not good at making friends. Schuyler was a tad sarcastic and often got annoyed with the stupid things her classmates would say. She also had a habit of letting them know how stupid they were being.

Because of all this, Schuyler had nowhere to sit on the Hogwarts Express. Her best friends were either in the prefects meeting or just missing in action. She walked down the train looking into different compartments, hoping to find someone who did not annoy her. Schuyler was about to give up hope when she found Peter.

"Pettigrew!" She said with a little more enthusiasm than she meant. "May I join you?"

Peter looked up from his comic book, and his jaw dropped. "May you...I'm sorry, what?"

"May I sit with you?"

"Why?" He asked in confusion. He looked around the compartment he thought to be empty, wondering if maybe Sirius or one of his other popular friends had snuck back in when he was reading.

Schuyler began to walk out. "Never mind, Peter."

"No!" Peter exclaimed. "I mean, yes. You may join me. I would like that."

Schuyler smiled at him, and sat down. Sure, Peter wasn't Lily or Caitlin, but he would do. He wouldn't be cheesy and hit on her, like Sirius Black, or say something stupid...

"My names Peter, but you can call me tonight!" Peter burst out, his face turning bright red.

Schuyler sighed, and stood. "Goodbye, Peter."

* * *

Sirius Black made his way to the compartment Peter was in, and saw Schuyler leaving it. "Whoa, whoa, Schuyler!" He called out. "Were you just chilling with _Wormtail?"_

"First of all," Schuyler snapped. "If that's supposed to be some sort of sexual innuendo, gross. Second of all...stop teaching Peter pickup lines."

* * *

Lily was _ecstatic _at the idea of her being Head Girl. Ever since she was a fifth year and had been made prefect, Head Girl had been her goal. She hadn't gotten a detention, hadn't skipped class...she had done everything she could to prove to Professor Dumbledore that she deserved it.

Sure, she thought as she sat in the empty compartment waiting for the Head Boy, it would have been nicer if Kiernan had been here with her. He had strived for Head Boy almost more than she had for Head Girl, and she knew he was extremely disappointed that he hadn't made it. But maybe it would be better this way. Remus was the most likely to become Head Boy, and that suited her fine. She liked Remus.

So where was he?

* * *

James stood outside the Head's compartment, trying to make himself go in. He was supposed to be in there fifteen minutes ago, and he had been standing there for twenty. It felt like a sin to be Head Boy. It went against everything a true Marauder stood for (with the exception of Moony). James weighed his options. Maybe he could get a polyjuice potion, and Remus could _act _as head boy...

Why didn't he have a polyjuice potion on him?

James sighed, and entered the compartment to see Lily Evans waiting for him. Great, he thought. She was head girl? That almost made this worse.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked. "Oh, are you looking for Remus, too?"

"No," James answered. "Remus is in the prefects cabin."

"Why is Remus in the prefects...?" Lily stopped, and apprehension dawned on her face. "No way."

"That's what _I _said when I found out, too. Weird."

Lily shook her red head. "No way," She said. "Kiernan and Remus and a hundred other people at Hogwarts are far more suited for head boy than _you _are-"

"Thanks," James said cutting her off. "For your never ending belief in me, Evans."

* * *

"You're kidding me." Kiernan said, his jaw dropping.

"Sadly, no." Lily said. "Potter really is head boy."

Schuyler laughed in disbelief. "Maybe it's a prank?" She suggested. "Maybe he convinced Remus to pretend he didn't get it?"

Lily shook her head. "I don't really think he would do that...Remus takes school very seriously-"

"This is _crap," _Kiernan announced. "Total _crap._"

Lily grabbed his hand, "I know, and I'm sorry you didn't get it. I don't know why Potter did-"

"Don't you?" He asked. "Potter's the little golden boy. He probably asked his daddy to get it for him, and Dumbledore just couldn't say no."

Caitlin was shocked. "Do you honestly think _Professor _Dumbledore would do that?" She asked. "He's the greatest wizard of all time, he's not going to be bribed by Adrian Potter."

"Right," Kiernan said angrily. "Potter wasn't even a prefect. How the hell did he become _Head Boy?"_

Lily frowned. She knew he was upset and jealous, but it wasn't their fault. But she also knew this was Kiernan. He was passionate about everything, and sometimes he got worked up about things. She just had to give him time to get over it, and then he would be fine. "We don't know," Lily said apologetically. "Let's just talk about something else, okay?"

Kiernan looked at her and scoffed. "Yeah, _why not," _He said, and left the compartment, slamming the sliding door closed. The girls sat in silence, looking at anything buteach other.

"Your boyfriends a _baby," _Schuyler announced, only to be hit in the arm by Caitlin.

Lily felt a little guilty, because her first thought was, _Yeah, he is._

* * *

**A/N: **My best friend basically hates me for using the name Schuyler. She said she read it as "Shoe-Ler" instead of "Sky-Ler", which is how it's _supposed _to be read. But I think it's pretty! Don't you? So yeah, I'm going to write more tonight I just wanted to get this up ASAP. So what do you guys think? James isn't the most appealing character right now, but he'll get better, I swear!

Reviews are inspiration for faster chapters!!

Love,

AxidntProne

* * *


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